8279

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8279
• Author: Brown and Caldwell.
• Title: Phase 1 Coordinated Facilities Water Availability Study for the Endangered Fishes of the Upper Colorado River.
• USFW Year: 2000.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

determined, two 10-year Agreements for the Interim Provision of Water to the 15-Mile
Reach of the Colorado River have been entered into: (1) one with the Colorado River
Water Conservation District (River District), (Colorado River Water Conservation
District and Colorado Water Conservation Board, 2000), and (2) an agreement with
Denver Water (Denver Water and Colorado Water Conservation Board, 2000). '
Both agreements involve the CWCB and the Service on behalf of themselves and other
water users. Under the agreement with the River District, the River District will release
5,412.5 acre-feet of water per year. The primary source of water will be Wolford
Mountain Reservoir (West Slope Pool) and unused Ruedi, Round I and Round II
contracted water.
Under the Denver Water agreement, Denver Water will release 5412.5 acre-feet per year.
Denver Water's primary source of water will be Williams Fork Reservoir. Denver Water
may also use Wolford Mountain Reservoir (Denver Water's Pool), Dillon Reservoir, and
Homestake Reservoir.
The interim agreements take 5,412.5 acre-feet from Williams Fork Reservoir and 5,412.5 '
acre-feet from Wolford Mountain Reservoir with options to go to Ruedi Reservoir under
certain conditions.
• 6,000 acre-feet of reservoir storage space in Wolford Mountain Reservoir to benefit
endangered fish habitat pursuant to the Wolford Mountain Reservoir Biological Opinion.
Protection of releases of this water is accomplished pursuant to the terms of the Wolford

Mountain Reservoir Biological Opinion and an agreement among the River District, '
CWCB and the Service.
• Up to an estimated 28,400 acre-feet of water on an average annual basis resulting from '
construction of improved water management features for the Grand Valley Water
Management Project. This project consists of adding seven new check structures to the
canal system, automation of the checks and other structures, construction of the
1,000-foot Palisade Pipeline and the construction of the Highline Lake Pumping Station.
Much of this water will exist and be managed as surplus Historic User Pool (HUP) water
in Green Mountain Reservoir.
• Legal protections for delivery of surplus HUP water and water made available by the
Grand Valley Water Management Plan will be accomplished in two phases. ,
1. Protect water up to the capacity of the Grand Valley Power Plant pursuant to the
Orchard Mesa Check Settlement. This water is protected by a contract agreement,
which will ensure its delivery to the Orchard Mesa Power Plant and the head of the
15-Mile Reach after release from Green Mountain Reservoir.
2. Additional legal mechanisms to protect surplus HUP water in excess of paragraph 1. ,
above will be developed and will be available for enhancement of flows in the 15-
Mile Reach as a result of the Grand Valley Water Management Project. In order to '
work within the confines of State of Colorado water law, a municipal recreation
contract with the City of Grand Junction and the City of Fruita is being discussed.
This contract would protect releases of surplus water from the Green Mountain HUP '
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